#alpinestars

No, sorry, replica Lorenzo leathers are not part of Alpinestars’ 2016 apparel collection, but the company is inextricably linked to the sport by protecting many of its participants. Many safety developments available to the public originate from knowledge gained at the track. And the above photo is much tastier than a logo or a studio shot of a new jacket.

In case you haven’t heard by now, I crashed in the middle of our 2015 Literbike Track Shootout. Well, to put it more accurately, I was taken out by another rider. If you missed it, jump to the 0:41 mark of our accompanying video to see exactly what happened. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to be wearing proper gear, including the Alpinestars GP-Pro leather suit, which took the brunt of the damage, but I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to write this review, as putting any piece of protective gear through the ultimate test really, well, sucks.

Beginning in Spring and ending in Fall, the motorcycling season basically exists during the warmest time of the year. Staying cool while operating a motorcycle during these months heightens the experience by increasing a rider’s comfort. Maintaining a healthy temperature also increases a rider’s safety. We covered the obvious ways to keep your temperature in check with our Warm-Weather Buyer’s Guides for Boots, Jackets and Pants, Gloves. Here we look at a few additional, but no less important, ways to manage your personal thermostat.

It’s June and the temperatures are now starting to hot up. That can only mean one thing: Summer’s here and riding season is in full swing. For some, riding in hot weather means shedding the protective gear in order to stay cool. You don’t need us to remind you what a bad idea this is, as one of our favorite adages when it comes to riding in hot climes is “I’d rather sweat than bleed.” For this buyer’s guide, we’ve put together 10 jackets and pants that’ll both keep you cool on a hot ride and also protect your hide should you have the unfortunate fate of falling down. The list is organized in ascending order based on price.

Shoes are the most common element on earth after carbon, so we’ve barely scratched the surface here of what’s available in warm-weather, vented moto street footwear. But we did attempt to hit all the major purveyors, almost all of which pack a plethora of different styles on their web pages, from high-top sneaker wannabes to serious adventure boots. Though the boots pictured are men’s, nearly all of them are available in women’s sizes too. It’s hard to be cool on your bike with sweaty dogs. Let’s get out there and shop for some coolness, people.

Now, as we bring our series of Winter Buyer’s Guides to a close, we move in to the nebulous realm of Winter Accessories. Whereas all the other categories were pretty well-defined, winter accessories need only fit one requirement: they need to enable longer, safer rides when Mother Nature is literally trying to suck the life out of your body. What makes a good winter accessory? Typically it specifically addresses one of the two primary issues faced by cold weather riders: wind chill and heat loss (without wind chill).

In theory, I am a big believer in “All the Gear All the Time,” but in practice that’s just not the way it happens for me. Many, if not most, rides are shortish hops around town where even my trusty Aerostich is too much trouble, and let’s face it, sometimes you want to look somewhat cool even if you stopped being it a couple decades ago.

Motorcycle gear has several important functions. While maybe not the primary purpose of dedicated riding gear, our chosen wardrobe tells the world that we are motorcyclists. Yes, there is a large fashion component to our apparel, one that announces what tribe we claim. From canyon carvers to stunters to cruisers to tourers and adventure tourers to street racers or vintage riders to even the one-percenters (of the pre Occupy Wall Street variety), every subculture within the motorcycle world has its own uniform. And if we’re really honest with ourselves, who among us hasn’t at least once pulled up to a stop light, noticed our reflection in the storefront window, and thought, “Yep, I look pretty damn cool.”

Touring gear, by definition, must be versatile. If you’re traveling long distances, you’re likely to encounter a variety of weather conditions, perhaps even in the space of a single day. In addition, cargo carrying capacity is more important than on your typical day ride. Designed in the stylish adventure riding mold, the Andes is part of Alpinestars Tech-Touring line of gear.

Continuing our lists of Top 10 Motorcycle Holiday Gifts for you or a loved one, this week’s list focuses on items ranging in price between $200 and $500. Here we’ve compiled a bevy of items for both the rider and motorcycle alike. Whether the gift is for a person or a two-wheeled companion, either way, we’re sure with one of these items the recipient will be happy. We tried to cover a broad spectrum of riders and machinery, but narrowing the options to just 10 was no easy task. If you have a suggestion for this list, or simply want to add something you really want, say so in the comments section below. Who knows, Santa might grant your wish this year.

Alpinestars is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2014. Part of the reason for the company’s success is its ability to adapt with the times and advance with the changing motorcycle landscape. From motocross boots to racing leathers and (almost) everything in between, when it comes to gear, Alpinestars has become a trusted name in this sport.

Classroom or real world? Given the choice most will opt for the outdoor immersion in favor of the indoor lesson. Alpinestars took this into consideration when introducing its 2014 MX protective gear. Instead of herding a group of journalists into a sterile, white room with overhead fluorescent lights, the apparel giant instead invited scribes to ride Milestone Ranch MX Park outfitted with new-for-2014 Alpinestars gear.